Calling all TNs

jazz3000

Denise - Amen to SUX.

Heidi it sure sounds like our Christmas. I think I spent so many traditional Christmas's with uptight-everything must be exactly right or else family, the greatest joy I have is to visit and enjoy my kids. We love to watch DVD's and discuss what we really thought of it and playing XBOX or Playstation, albeit, I try to keep up with the joy stick and they laugh. Thank God for Kinect. I can almost hold my own. It makes me happy to hear you're on the other side of the storm and a few rainbows are coming your way. You go girl. Everyday is certainly a gift. And yes I changed the Avatar. Just in case you were wondering.lol

Sugar I hope your spotting has subsided and your feeling better with less stress. It's the little things that happen outside the norm that seem frightening sometimes. Always a relief to hear the Doc say - Your okay.

Titan I started chemo and can't see now. I'd say nice to your neww avatar but all I see are two figures and it's all over for me. You have a great week. God Bless girl.

Christina sounds like she's sharing her experiences with those who need it and you can't beat that in this forum or at the Onc's. I started out here when I first found out and when I got to the Chemo area was blown away at the amount of peeps who were there with me. All of us looking at each other like what's up with all of this. The nurses are sweethearts though so they make it easier.

One nuse was asking about this forum when I shared the info you've shared with me. She said she didn't know a lot of these things happened with chemo treatments and was interested in finding out more. Good for her. Oh did I mean that? She may be new and might be my next chemo nurse. Uh Ohhhhh. LOL

Have  a wonderful evening and God Bless all ya all.

swiftbird

Hi ladies,

Sugar, let us know how things go and what they say about that. I too stopped after I started chemo. It's been over a year now off chemo, and I wonder if my period is ever going to come back. I'm 43, so it could. Curious to hear what your dr. says about it.  Hope you're feeling better

I was up in Canada all week. My sister in law took pity on the yankee and made me a turkey dinner. I have to admit that it so nice not too cook this year and so thankful for my health. 

Have a great week sisters! 

christina1961

No period here - regular as a clock before chemo in Feb 11. Overdue for visit to gyn - it's been 2-3 years so I really need to go- when I do I am going to see if they can test my hormone levels.

Titan

Sherri..I had a blood test to see if the chemo put me into menopause...and I was..I was 49 when diagnosed and on the bubble..so to speak....he had told me that menopause was probably inevitable because of my advanced age (ha ha)...my DH wanted to know too because..well you guys know why........my onc..was like..so you want to know if you can have unprotected sex??? I was so embarassed....here we are dealing with a life threatening disease and talking about sex instead..funny stuff.

Titan

Christina..are you talking about the blood test to see if you are through menopause..or another type of test?  I'm just curious.

I seriously think I'm drying up...my skin is dry, my hair is dry...there was never any suggestion of any type of progesterine for me with having breast cancer..but I'm wondering...if we are hormone negative..wouldn't a little bit help us out?   abd would it really hurt us?  I hate the thought of wrinkles before my time.

OBXK

Our town (pop 800) has Rivertown Christmas this weekend, and as I live downtown, I feel obliged to decorate and put up my tree this week. Last year, I had just been diagnosed, so when I put things away, I put notes in the boxes, concerning what goes where, the stories of my old ornaments, and which kid, made what. I guess I didn't think I'd be here this year.



Happy to report good 6 month labs. I see my onco tomorrow for a regular follow-up. I have a little bump, looks like a flea bite, about an inch from my scar. It's been there for two weeks. Need to be told - no you do not have skin mets! Then I will put cancer behind me for the holidays!!!



Wishing everyone a great week ahead.

mags20487

I am 43 and had my last period the weekend of Se's from tx #2--that was 8 weeks ago and no sign of it again...not even a cramp.  My Onc said 50/50 chance at my age that it would be over for good...and Titan guess what my husband said? "than we won't have to worry bout birth control"--told him it was no guarantee my eggs were dead so cover up baby!  Think he should just go get snippered!  My body has been thru enough.

Maggie

Angelice

i was also diagnosed at 43 closer 4 months before 44 i was told 50/50 chance of periods coming back .. Not  that i miss them,  my hubby thinks said same as yours Mags20487 ,,, wishful thinking on his behalf , hmmmm .... not what we need !!!!!!!!!!!

Sugar77

I will let you know how it goes.  BTW....it never materialized into an actual period.  It was just spotting that ended shortly after I posted this so I don't know what that means.  We shall see!

ksmatthews

Im just happy that you all think about sex!  lol

For some reason I just have no desire for that right now!  I so wish I did.  My poor hubby  

Fighter_34

I posted this a few pages back, but this board does move fast.

I have had two periods since chemo ended in February. The first cycle was VERY heavy the next cycle was normal, but something strange happen my FOOBS started feeling heavy and constricting. Also started cramping with the second period.

christina1961

Titan, Yes, that is the test I am hoping to get.  I have read that the whole wrinkles thing is BS - apparently the drug companies who were pushing the HRT started that myth.  Estrogen has nothing to do with skin thickness.  I read up on a lot of that when my mother died in the early 90's following surgery for lung cancer (and they were still giving her HRT in the hospital!) and my sister got highly ER positive breast cancer 5 years ago following 17 years of HRT.  They started giving my sister HRT in her thirties!!  I was determined to never take it and never did - but falsely thought not taking it would protect me against breast cancer.  Like so many, there was no history of breast cancer in our family until my sister had it.

mags20487

ksmatthews--did not say I was the one thinking about sex   My husband just thinks I am so sexy now because of my strength thru this...Boy is he fooled!!! HAHA

Maggie

mccrimmon324

Maggie, that's so sweet of your husband.  I'm about 9 weeks PFC and have a sparse buzz happening with my hair.  Both my DH and I have said we "miss" each other but neither have attempted.  I'm not really sure if I could handle the rejection, I'm bald and lop sided now, I really have no idea how to open up that topic of conversation. 

TifJ

McCrimmon- I am 10 months PFC and my husband won't touch me! I too just can't bring myself to ask if he is disgusted my appearance (even though the boob looks pretty good, just no nipple) or if he's afraid I will act weird. I don't know, but it is getting frustrating. Any suggestions how to open this conversation with a husband?

Titan

I don't know but I think my DH was waiting for me to intitiate things...,,,I actually think that they are a little in awe of us and scared for us at the same time...so one day...many months later I actually said..umm...are we ever going to have sex or are we done with that......I just wanted to do something normal again! 

Fighter_34

I googled this on one of my nightly reads. Hahaha....

I googled sex after a BMX. One lady used nipple covers to make the illusion of niples and it gave her the comfort level she needed to move forward with sex. Another used cute tank tops until construction was fully completed, but overall most ladies agreed that once they got going a new norm appeared. Can I get (REAL HERE) most stated that oral sex was on another level because the body re-adjusted and the nerves were compensating for other areas (something like that).

One lady even stated that when her husband played with her FOOBS she got that warm fuzzy feeling again. It was a posting site sort of like the once we are in now. I'll dig up the link and post it later.

But after reading all of that I got bothered and all those insecurities went out of the window. So I am happy to report we are DOING it again and a lot.

ksmatthews

haha, cant believe we are talking about this!  

We only do about 1 a month, but that just isn't enough,I want us to be normal again.

I think he just thinks I dont feel like it, so think I have some ignitiating to do lol!

(oral sex) haven't done that in years!  maybe time for that too hahahha 

mags20487

my husband loves it when I initiate it.  He feels afraid of hurting me or asking too much of me.  It really is the level of love he has for me i guess.  Only if I am ready he has said.  Such a keeper. 

Maggie

Titan

Yeah..I think my dh thought I would break or something..ha ha... oral sex huh?  hum..now there is a thought...

I just think of sex..oral or not..as a way to getting back to "normal"...plus it is good exercise...good for the brain, good for the body..what's not to like..

You guys..I hurt my foot and I have now idea how I did it..I'm wearing one of those boot things and icing it...of course my first thought that I had bone mets in my foot...then common sense kicked it..but he**..how can my foot be soo very painful and I can't remember hurting it? 

Fighter...glad you are DOING IT alot...that's a good thing!  I love hearing this stuff...yeah..there is life during cancer and after cancer....

and ksmathews..once a month...that's good too....

ah well..we've got a lot of dh's and partners walking around with smiles on their faces..good thing!

Anonymous

Anonymous

Heidi, I LOVE this.. LOL  Now if I can get DH to get on board..literally...hahaa

Teka

hoppytrigger )   denjak )   bak94 )   be up and about after surgeries by the weekend.

 

mccrimmon324

Heidi, Very Funny! 

Hope everyone is recovering well from thier surgeries.

Had my weekly visit with RO this morning.  I hate the fact that he has to talk about my high rate of recurrence because of my TN status, also a little annoyed that he said it's because Tamoxifin & Herceptin won't help me however they come with side effects so it's good that I won't be getting them.  I looked at him and said, I would have loved the choice!!  Now I've got my anxiety up and I'm at work so no xanax for me. 

On another note I asked my DH is maybe we could maybe try to do THAT, on Wed night before our house guest arrives for the weekend. 

MBJ

Titan:  I am constantly doing minor injuries to my body since chemo.  I think it weakens our bones and takes a really long time to be back to normal.  Hope it isn't anything.

Heidi:  LOL, thanks for the laugh.

So, I found a PT office that charges $49 for the initial treatment and $45 for cash patients including PT & Chiropractic. It's about 15 minutes away and he is the 4th dr. who has told me frozen shoulder, so I go today at 2pm to confirm the diagnosis, go over the xrays and devise a plan that I can hopefully afford. Wish me luck.  

mccrimmon324

Good Luck MBJ, hope you get some pain relief

Glad you found someone, if I may ask, what do you do now for your follow ups?  My husband and I plan on moving back to Philadelphia and I'm worried about health care coverage.

Titan, I have really taken the exercise to heart and use my eliptical daily and each day I wake up sore and stiff, I know its from the Elipitcal, but I still worry all the time.  Hope your foot gets better soon.

Thanks.

TifJ

MBJ- I wish you lived here! My insurance ran out for PT back in August, so my therapist charges me $15 per session to stretch me. I do the exercises at home before I go and she stretches me there. That is even cheaper than my co-pay was -$20.

I sure hope you get some relief!

inmate4232010

Hello all.....I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving.

I do love the discussion about sex.  I can't even entertain the thought even though my husband tries to initiate something, really anything.  Poor guy.  He does remain understanding and I love him for that.

I have a question for you all.  A little background first:  I am currently on my third round of chemo drugs.  Original diagnosis was april 2010 with lumpectomy, chemo (A/C and Taxol) and radiation (seven weeks). Finished treatment march 2011.  Recurrence july 2011 with 12 new tumors in the same breast. This time I had bmx followed by cisplatin and gemzar (3 months).  Finished Oct 27th.  November 3rd woke up to a new "bump" on my chest, just left of center.  Wanted to ignore it but I could actually SEE it in the mirror.  Now this was NOT there just 2 days prior.  Already scheduled for a blood test to check my counts and showed the nurse.  Long story short, 2 hours later I was in the surgeons office getting it removed.  CT scan the next day (already scheduled) and by 7 pm that night the onc called with the news.  Scan was clear, yeah, but "bump" was positive, boo.  I am now on 4 drugs, navelbine, methotrexate, 5 FU and leucovorin.  My onc called it a recurrence, but the chemo he has put me on seems to be given for stage IV.   

Here's the question:  Has anyone who is not stage IV been given so many different chemos?  I am worried that if I do go to stage IV, am I running out of options?  What will be left?  

Aside from waking up every morning and basically molesting myself checking for more "bumps" I feel pretty good and people tell me I don't look sick.  Obviously they can't read the constant worry on my face.  This whole process is aging me way too fast! 

Thanks for listening! 

Teka

inmate4232010,

There're so many different chemo cocktails with varying dosages.   I wouldn't get hung up on the different types of chemo )

OBXK

My right arm is shrinking and the onco and bs nurse, don't seem to think it's a problem. Onco said it's muscle wasting. Anyone else heard of this? Since nerves feed muscles, maybe a cut nerve or nerve damaged by chemo?